The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-24
AN OLD-STYLE HURRICANE
Brownsville Visited by Storm of
Thirty-Five Hours Duration.
Large Number of Buildings and Other
Property Destroyed, Involving Loss of
More Than Million Dollars.

BROWNSVILLE, Tex. Sept, 23.-The hurricane
appears to have become a regular visitor to this
coast. Night before last another made de-
structive descent upon the two cities of Browns
vile and Matamoras. Just about year and a
day had passed since the storm Of 1856, and the
remainder of the funds collected for the relief
of the sufferers by the storm was being distrib-
uted, when threatening signs Of the approach
of another of these awful visitors were noted.
The telegraph several days ago gave notice of
a hurricane southwest of Havana and moving
this way. and for two three days the weather
indications showed the approach Of a storm.
Though the barometer and the tide in the gulf
usually gave warning of the coming of bad
weather. this storm gave no no.
tice of its immediate approach. At
9 o'clock Tuesday evening the norther that had
been blowing for several days increased in
herceness, with heavy gusts of rain. and in
short time hurricane the towns in its full
force, the wind reaching, in the height OF the
storm, velocity of seventy-eight miles an
hour. All night long it continued, the bowling
being mingled now and then with the crash OF
falling house. the rending sound of falling trees,
the rafting of fences as they went over, or the
shouts of those deserving their crumbling resi-
dences or imploring aid. Morning dawned on
scene of desclation. Water filled the streets
through which the roaring north wind drove
the rain like great volleys of small shot.
The fallen Trees ruins of houses and PROSTATE
fences. all half submerged in water. rendered
passage difficult and times dangerous. At
2:3o P. NJ the wind lulied, and there was almost
dead calm until 4:30 p M, when the wind
came from the south. This shows that the vor-
tex of the hurricane, as the case of those of
1880 and 1856. passed directly over
this section. About p. NJ the
wind again became violent. coming this
time from the south and continued until this
morning, when the hurricane may have been
said to have ceased. The duration of the storm
may be safely calculated at thirty-fve hours.
The wind from the northeast, veering to
northwest at the beginning, and from the
southwest during the latter half. The rainfall
very heavy. being 10. 40 inches. The aver
age temperature was ~. the velocity of the
wind, while it registered greater than that of the
hurricane of last year. did not appear to show
its force during the sudden gusts. The diameter
of the storm was much greater and it's duration
was longer than either that OF 1885, or that or
1880 The force was greater than that or the
of the former years, but not so great as
that of the blow of 1880. The fact that the bulk
of the people were better prepared for its COM
ing, and that the weaker buildings had been
swept away by the storm of last year. was the
Only reason for its not being more destructive.
The damage in the country outside OF the two
cities il incalculable. Countless head of cattle
and sheep have been lost, and the crops of cot
ton, corn and sugar cane are completely pros
place, calculates his loss cotton alone at
500, 600. and many others are equally heavy
losers. The total of the losses will be far be-
yondSl 000 600
In Brownsville the chief sufferers were among
the poor. Between sixty and eighty of the
cheaper class of dwellings have been blown
down, and fully three hundred have been par
TALLY unroofed and rendered uninhaoitable.
Mr.. Scanlin's warehouse. containing three hun
dred cases of coal oil, was blown down. Mr..
Chenowith's .wostory frame house was des-
troyed. two houses on Mr.. Fields place
Frustrated, and one belonging to John Clark,
near Leon, was blown down. Almost all OF the
better class of houses leaked. Mr.. Raphaels
magnificent residence and elegant furniture
were badly damaged, and many others suffered
similarly. Large numbers of fences wore blown
down and almost every fence more less
damaged. Magnificent shade trees were scat
tered in fragments or overturned large tree
at John McGoverns corner was uprooted and
the house injured barge and steam launch
at the ferry landing were sunk. The boats of
the ferry company were saved with great diff
Guilty The telegraph wire from Point Isabel
is down and 1t is not known how things are
there
There is great suffering among the poor.
many of whom are without resources. Sheriff
Brieto has succored many families, but it is still
possible to aid only portion of those in need.
The river is again very high and overfowing Its
banks.
In Matamoras the narrow streets during the
storm were of water from ankle to nearly
hip deep Even in the more central parts of the
town the streets all incum bered with de-
bris. In the city about dozen houses of the
better class, and fully $50 or 200 jackets were
prostratei, while from 400 to 500 unroofed
or shattered. Colonel Yanez's new house, which
was in course of construction, was Frustrated.
frame house which stood on the lower part of
Sixth street lies of debris in the
street The brick house which stood at the
southeast corner of the main plaza. opposite the
custom house. is Il of ruins in the plaza.
the De Arlero House is down. The public
buildings and stores, and the better class of
The unfortunate lagoon district, south of the
Plaza del Capilla, is again inundated large
portion of the houses have fallen. The water
was from knee to waist Deep From II o'clock
Tuesday night to noon yesterday the police.
and many citizens were engaged III saw
ing the inhabitants and their effects. Women
and girls crouched OF beds in scanry at
tire They obliged to enter the dark wat
ers and face the driving gusts of wind and rain,
until conveyed 800 400 yards to place of
safety More damage appears to have been
done in the free-port district than in that to-
wards the San Ferdnado gate. Casa Mata.
The public school buildings are full of refugees.
and the authorities doing all In their power
for them. Among the merchants, goods have
been generally damaged by water. The suffer-
ing in the town and country is generally severe.
EX-PRESIDENT HAYES'S POLICY.